-------- Original Message -------Subject:RE: Buncombe Contractors Break Law Date:Thu, 25 Oct 2012 13:36:37 +0000 From:Ewens, Samantha

<Samantha.Ewens@ncdoi.gov> To:Lisa Baldwin <rtbaldwin2@charter.net> CC:Isaac, Clifford <Cliff.Isaac@ncdoi.gov>, Taylor, Suzanne <Suzanne.Taylor@ncdoi.gov>,Matt.Stone@buncombecounty.org <Matt.Stone@buncombecounty.org>

Ms. Baldwin, I understand and share your concerns. It is the ultimate goal of the State Building Code to ensure safety in the built environment, but it can only be effective when it is enforced. It is also my opinion that the people who knew about these on-going projects and did not call for the required permits did indeed break the law. I know that staff has referred you to the various contractors licensing boards so that you can lodge complaints against any contractor who performed this work. As a member of the Board of Education, I assume that it is within your purview to determine responsibility for any school staff member who also allowed the work to proceed without inspections. The North Carolina Code Ofcials Qualication Board, which is the entity that I serve as staff, is charged with oversight of certied Code Enforcement Ofcials (CEO) to ensure that they properly enforce the State Building Code. The method through which a CEO is notied that he or she needs to perform an inspection is with a permit. If permits were not called for, I am unsure how the CEO would be aware that he needed to go to the structure and perform an inspection. If you believe that permits were called for and were denied, or if you believe that the inspections department otherwise knew of the on-going projects and did nothing to require a permit, then at that point the Qualications Board would become involved. At this point, department staff is working with Mr. Stone to ensure that he is able to complete inspections for any work done without permits, and also to develop a plan with school personnel to ensure that this situation does not recur. I believe that Mr. Stone is working diligently to get the situation corrected and has encountered little resistance in doing so. I would encourage you, as a member of the Board of Education, to urge continued cooperation with Mr. Stones efforts as the best way to answer any lingering questions about student safety. Please feel free to contact me should you have any questions. Best regards.
Samantha Ewens, PE Director, Code Enforcement Services
NC Dept of Insurance - Office of State Fire Marshal Street: 322 Chapanoke Road,Suite 200, Raleigh, NC 27603-3400 Mail: Mail Service Center #1202, Raleigh, NC 27699-1202 Phone: (919) 661-5880, Ext. 288 Fax: (919) 662-4414 E-Mail: Samantha.Ewens@ncdoi.gov